Improvement in steam water-elevators



W. E. PRALL, OF WASHINGTON, 1DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

Letters Patent No. 97 ,225, dated Norembe'r 23, `1869.

-www IMKPROVEMENT IN STEAM WATER-ELEVATRS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom ttmay concern.-

Be it known that I, W. E. PnALL, of Washington, in the county of Washington, and District `of Columbia, have invented a new and u seful Improvement in Water-Elevating Engines; and I do hereby declare that the following is `a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to' the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 is a vertical central elevation of my improved `engine, showing the'generator, water-reservoirs, condenser, and connecting-pipes.

Figure 2 is a vertical `central section of amodifiedform ofthe same devices, showing a different form of generator and water-reservoir.

This invention relates to that class of engines which are used for elevating water from a well or other reservoir, or from a stream, to any desired locality" above the level 'of such source of supply, steam being the agent employed for the purpose of elevating the water.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of Vthe parts of which the device is ycornposed.

It has been found to be of great importance, in engines of this class, and especially in those of this peculiar construction, it being such that steamis generated and condensed in the same devices, that the means for condensing the steam should be such as to produce as near instantaneous condensation las possible, and it is the object of this invention to combine with the other portions of the engine such a condenser, in order that its pulsations may be more rapid, and thus insure the raising of a greater quantity of water in'any given length of time. l

A represents the combustion-chamber of a steanigenerator, or rather of the steam-generating portion ofthe engine. This generator, or portion of the device may be constructed as shown in the drawing, or of any other convenient form that will leave a steamspace in its upper portion, so that, as steam is generatedJ it shall collect therein,aml press upon -the water upper portion thereof is always kept heated, and so.

that, as a portion ofits ooutentsare expelled, by being forced down by the steam, and out through the. pipes,

vas above described, it shall still retain a considerable quantity of highly-heated water, to be carried back into contact with the surface of the generator, in order that another pressure may be generated within the generator, or the steam-space thereof, without the lapse of time which would benecessary if cold water were allowed to come in contact with `such surface.

E represents a bent pipe, which is to be attached to the upperportion of the steam-space of the genen ator, from which point it extends outward and downward, and then up, as shown in tig. l of the drawings,

'having its upper end attached to the pipe F, so that the condenser until it reaches a point directly above4 the centre of such condenser, when it is vto be turned downward and attachedv to a boss formed upon the cap or cover of each condi-)usen '.lhis pipe formsthe long leg of a siphon, its oiiice being, at the proper time, to withdraw the water from the siphon or pipe F, and thus open a steanipassnge between the generator and condenser.

G represents the upper horizontal portion of the pipe F, as above described, it being enoughhi'gher than the, condenser .to always be filled with air, and

thus prevent an oscillation of water between the generator and condenser.

H represents 'a condenser, which is to be provided with a large number of tubes, it l,being desirable to have as many as possible, without making .the conL denscrtoo large. It will be seon'that this vessel is to be provided with a flue-sheet near its lower end, to which vtheI tubes are to be -secured in the usual inanncr, but so as to he water-tighttherein Outside of the ends of these tubes, a chamber is to be provided, as shown lin g. 1 ofthe drawings. Asa consequence of this arrangement ofthe. tubes, their upper ends aro let't free, and they can expand and contract indelinitely, without causing any injury to themselves, or the vessel with which they are connected, and at the-same 'time they present both their outer and inn'er surfaces 'to the heating action of thesteam andthe cooling effects of the water. The condenser, as will be seen, is connected to the generator by-means of pipes E' F G, and cylinder D, so that at every discharge ot' water from. the generator, the tubes are filled and surroundedl with water supplied to tbefcondenser by the induction-pipe J'.

I represents a discharge-pipe, which may be attached to the upper portion of the condenser, and is to be supplied with a check-valve, when the water which it carries o is to be elevated above its own level.

J represents the induction-pipe for the water. It is to be secured to the lower portion of the condenser,

vand may extend downward into a well or other source of supply, so as vto conduct the waterto the condenser. The operation of this device will beas follows:

It is first to be filled with water, through an aperture in the top/of the condenser, where all the pipes and parts are filled except the airchamber,.or continuation of the pipes E and F, which has such an elevation'above the condenser thatit can neverV become filled with water.

Fire is kindled in the chamber A. As the steam accumulates in the generator, the water is forced downward into the hot-water cylinder, and as there are no obstruct-ions in any of the connections with the condenser H, the pressure is at once communicated to the water in thc condenser, and the discharge-pipe I, attached to the top of the condenser, discharges an amount of cold water exactly equal in amount to the quantity of' hot water that was forced into the hotwater cylinder by the steam in the generator.

The hot-water cylinder 1), which is connected with the generator', and located beneath it, has a capacity much greater than the generator', therefore the hot wat-er can never be discharged into the horizontal pipe connecting with the condenser. The steam, as it accumulates, presses the water downward, until the wa- .ter in the generator is driven sniiciently below the bottom of the short leg of the siphon or pipe-E to make it the lightest column; then vthe water in the long leg of the Siphon takes the Water fronrthe short leg, and the passage-way connecting the generator with the condenser is opened, and the steam at once passes to the top of the condenser through the airchamber pipe G.

The elevation of the condenser H being greater than .that of the generator, the water, in consequence of its gravity, presses downward out of the condenser, and forces the hot water back into the generator, and the cut-oii` or siphon pipe becomes lled again. The space made vacant by this recession of the water in the condenser becomes filled' with the steam from 'the generator; that is, as the water presses downward toward the generator, the steam goes upward into the condenser, and is broughtl .into immediate Contact with the cold tubes in the condenser, just made vacant by the receding cold water.

A vacuum is at once produced by the condensation of the steam, the induction-valve opens, water from t-he supply at once rises into the condenser, and the steam immediately begins to again generate; the water neverhaving entirely left the heated plates which surround the fire, is at the boiling-point; and the operation is quickly repeated, and continues aslong as the fire is kept up in the generator.

At lig. 2 is shown a modification' of the devices, where it will be seen that the generator is of different construction, and the hot-water cylinder is placed in a different position.

Having thus fully described my invention,

eut., is-

'lhe combination of a steam-generator, A, a hotwater cylinder, D, siphon-pipes E and F, and a tubular condenser, when constructed and arranged substantially' as set forth.

l In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inA the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

W. E. PRALL.

Witnesses:

A. RUPPERT, B. EDW. J. Eins.

What l claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat- 

